Thumb guard and rest for pistols



July 27,1937. w ccL m, Re. 20,456

THUMB GUARD AND BEST FOR PISTOLS Original Filed Aug. 13, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l I Inventor 4 x q By Zam- 601622 Y flllomey:

y 1937. w. H. M cLARiMsR THUMB GUARD AND REST FOR PISTOLS Originajl Filed Aug. 15, 1932 2 SheetsSheet 2 Inventor f1 llorney Reissued July 2 7, 1937 I Re,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFHIE THUMB GUARD AND BEST FOR, PISTOLS William Hugh McClarin, Sr., Bethlehem, Pa.

Original No. 1,940,362, dated December 19, 1933, Serial No. 628,743, August 13, 1932. Renewed October 17, 1933. Application for reissue November 22, 1935, Serial No. 51,103

8 Claims. (CI. 42-72) This invention relates to the broad class of Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a pistol firearms and has more specific reference to apequipped with the invention showing the manpurtenances and accessories usable in conjuncner in which it is used.

tion with revolvers and pistols. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the in- As the title of the invention implies, the privention in greater and enlarged detail. 5 mary novelty is predicated upon means carried Figure 3 is a further exaggeration in size and by opposite sides of the shank of the pistol grip proportions showing the duplicate construction and located within the vicinity of the inner end of the thumb rest as visualized from the grip of the rotary cylinder or magazine, wherein said end of the revolver.

means is specifically shaped and constructed to Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the de- 10 function as a thumb rest, as well as a thumb vices. guard. Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken approxi- In the embodiment of the invention illustrated mately on the plane of the line 5-5 of Figure 1. in the accompanying drawings, the improved Figure 6 is a section taken approximately on means comprises a pair of duplicate units atthe plane of the line 56 of Figure 2. 15

tachable to opposite sides of the pistol, each unit Before introducing the detailed description of embodying an accurately and satisfactorily the invention, I wish to call attention to the fact shaped portion serving primarily as a thumb rest that the inventive conception comprehends the for either right or left hand users, whereby to provision of thumb guards and rests built into decidedly improve the degree of utility and practhe revolver at the time of manufacture or made 20 ticability of the pistol. separately as attachments and applicable there- The principal advantage and feature of the to, whereby to permit the devices to be applied invention is that it provides dependable and efto present-day marketed types of revolvers withfective means whereby the user may squeeze out requiring alterations of the existing or stock the shot off rather than resort to the usual unparts.

. 2 certain pull and jerk, whereby to permit the In the form of the invention disclosed in the 0 flight of the bullet to be controlled with greater drawings, a conventional revolver is shown and precision and dependability. comprises, among other parts, a frame 1, a barrel Another feature of the invention is that the 8, a hand grip 9, a shank Ill between the hand presence thereof on the pistol or revolver pergrip and frame, a hammer II, a trigger l2, and 30 mits the user to equalize and uniformly distribute a trigger guard I3, as well as the usual rotary the pressure on the index or trigger finger and cylinder or magazine 14. According to the usual thumb. construction, one flat face or side of the shank A further feature of the invention is that it In is constructed as shown in Figure 6 and inprotects the thumb from possible injury at the cludes a flange l5 and an associated boss I6. 35 time of the explosion of the cartridges and also On the opposite side of the shank is the usual from the likelihood of injury at the time of exlatch ll constructed with the customary abutplosion of a defective shell or cartridge in the ment flange [8 as shown in Figures 4 and 5. As cylinder. before indicated, I provide two units or devices In addition, the invention aids effective and and these are distinguished by the numerals I9 40 satisfactory firing in that it provides a place for and 20, respectively. Each unit comprises a body the thumb to rest on so that the thumb does not portion 2| whose face is recessed or otherwise interfere with the hammer action, thus elimifashioned to correspond to the adjacent part of nating misfire. the shank I 0, said body being formed with an 5 Moreover, the invention serves to provide a integral flange 22 shaped to provide a concaved proper rest for either a left or right handed thumb rest. Otherwise stated, the body in Figperson, affords a proper and comfortable grip ure 6 has its inner face molded or cast to acand aids the shooter in using his thumb for snap commodate the parts l5 and Hi. In fact, the shooting, particularly at night when it is pracflange l5 carries a screw 23 which serves to fas- 5 tically impossible to clearly observe the sight on ten this particular device 20 in secure position. the revolver. In Figures 4 and 5 the body portion of the de- Other features and advantages of the inven- Vice [9 is likewise fashioned to accommodate the tion will become more readily apparent from the portions l1 and [8, a screw 24 being employed following description and drawings. to secure the device H! to the latch ll.

In the drawings: Generically, these devices l9 and 20 each in- 55 clude substantially duplicate portions 2| and 22 detachably secured to the existing parts on opposite sides of the shank IU of the revolver, said devices serving as guards in the manner previously described and constituting firm and dependable rests for the thumbs of the hands of the users.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in shape, size, and rearrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

I claim:

1. In a structure of the class described, in combination, a pistol including a frame, a barrel, a rotary cylinder mounted in said frame, and a grip attached to the frame through the medium of a relatively flat faced shank, and a combined thumb guard and rest secured on one side of the shank adjacent the inner end of said cylinder.

2. In a structure of the class described, in combination, a pistol including a frame, a barrel, a rotary cylinder mounted in said frame, and a grip attached to the frame through the medium of a relatively flat faced shank, and a. combined thumb guard and rest secure on one side of the shank adjacent the inner end of said cylinder, together with a duplicate thumb guard and rest secured to the opposite side of the shank at the inner end of said cylinder.

3. In a structure of the class described, in combination, a pistol including a frame, a barrel attached to said frame, .a grip attached to said frame through the medium of a curved shank, a rotary cylinder mounted in said frame, a cylinder retaining latch mounted on one side of said shank, a finger guard and rest including a body portion and a flange portion, said flange portion being shaped to accommodate the thumb, and a body portion having a flat face bearing against the adjacent flat face of said shank, said flat face being recessed to receive the latch therein, and means attaching said body to said latch.

4. In a structure of the class described, in combination, a pistol including a frame, a barrel attached to said frame in the usual way, a. conventional rotary cylinder mounted in said frame, a trigger guard carried by the frame, a handgrip attached to the frame through the medium of the customary flat faced shank, and a pair of selectively usable rigidly attached thumb supports fastened to the aforesaid flat faces above the rear end portion of the trigger guard and in close proximity to the inner end of said cylinder, whereby to permit the handgrip to be conveniently grasped with the thumb occupying an extended position in substantial parallelism With said barrel in order that the grasp of the hand may be stabilized to permit the thumb pressure to be utilized to aid the index finger in positively actuating the trigger.

5. In a structure of the class described, in combination, a pistol including a frame, a barrel attached to and projecting outwardly from said frame, a rotary cylinder mounted in the frame, a trigger guard carried on the underside of the frame, a handgrip of conventional form attached to the frame through the instrumentality of the customary flat faced portion, a thumb receptive thrust flange, said flange projecting laterally from one side of the flat faced portion in close proximity to the inner end of the cylinder, said flange being shaped for convenient placement of the thumb in a position in approximate alinement with the barrel, said flange being proportioned to function as a protective shield, and means for removably securing the flange in operative position.

6. As a new product of manufacture, a pair of substantially duplicate devices adapted for attachment to opposite sides of a conventional pistol, each device embodying a thumb receptive flange shaped to conveniently support the thumb, the flange being adapted to occupy a position in close proximity to the inner end of the usual rotary cylinder, and being shaped to function as a thumb guard, and means for attaching the flange Without requiring material alteration of the existing stock parts of a conventional pistol.

7. In a hand firearm, a thumb receptive flange in the vicinity of the breech, rigidly secured to and projecting laterally from the fire arm, said flange being at a considerable angle to the longitudinal axis of the barrel and inclined upwardly and forwardly, whereby in squeeze shooting the thumb exerts pressure both downwardly and in a forward direction, said flange extending from a point substantially below the level of the barrel forwardly and upwardly to a level at least as high as the barrel.

8. In a hand firearm, a thumb receptive flange disposed somewhat to the rear of the breech, rigidly secured to and projecting laterally from the fire arm, said flange being at a considerable angle to the longitudinal axis of the barrel and inclined upwardly and forwardly, whereby in squeeze shooting the thumb exerts pressure both downwardly and in a forward direction, said flange extending from a point substantially below the level of the barrel forwardly and upwardly to a level at least as high as the barrel.

WILLIAM HUGH MCCLARIN, SR. 

